Their musical style covers a wide variety of genres, though it is most commonly labeled as Rock en Español. Their music has been heavily influenced by Mexico's indigenous population and folk music traditions, most notable the Jarocho style of the state of Veracruz, but also by punk and electronic music and other bands in the Mexico City scene. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of their music is Albarrán's nasal voice, which, combined with his impressive lung capacity (as demonstrated on "La Ingrata", an homage to norteño music), makes for a very distinctive sound. They sing entirely in Spanish but have a significant Anglophone following regardless.
They have an especially eclectic sound, and it's commonly said that none of their discs is of exactly the same genre. For example, "Maria" is a bolero style ballad, "La Ingrata" is a mix of rock and "norteño" , while "Eres", a hit included in "Cuatro Caminos" album, is mostly pop-rock.
They were founded in 1989, and since then have had the same musical lineup:
* Rubén Isaac Albarrán Ortega aka "Pinche Juan" ("Fuckin Juan"), "Cosme", "Anónimo" (Anonymous), "Nrü" (pronounced "dshyoo", [dʃju] in IPA), "Amparo Tonto Medardo In Lak'ech" (or "At Medardo ILK"), "G3", "Gallo Gasss", "Élfego Buendía", "Sizu Yantra" (which is his solo moniker as well), "Rita Cantalagua", "Ixi Xoo" and many others. (vocals, guitar)
* Emmanuel "Meme" del Real Díaz: (keyboards, acoustic guitar, piano, programming, vocals, melodion)
* José Alfredo "Joselo" Rangel Arroyo: (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals)
* Enrique 'Quique' Rangel Arroyo: (bass guitar, electric upright bass, vocals)
Mexican folk music player Alejandro Flores is considered the 5th tacubo, as he has played the violin in almost every Café Tacuba concert since 1994. Since the Cuatro Caminos World Tour, Luis "El Children" Ledezma has played the drums in every concert but is not considered an official member of the band.
**Previously known as "Alicia Ya No Vive Aquí" (a tribute to Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore), the band took its final name from a coffee shop (el Café de Tacuba) located in downtown Mexico City. The cafe, which opened in 1912 and had its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s, was representative of the Pachuco scene at the time, something the band would later acknowledge as an influence. The Café de Tacuba is still in operation as a coffee shop and restaurant on Tacuba Street, in Mexico City's Historic Center. The band changed its name to Café Tacvba (changing the u for a v) in order to avoid legal issues with the coffee shop.
1989
Mexico City, Mexico
Hola Adiós
Café Tacvba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
tu hermano, tu abuelo,
los modos de tu amante,
los ojos de tu hijo.
Tu seras mi esposa,
mi hermana, mi madre.
Te veo como vecina,
vecina del alma mia,
el piso se nos termina,
perdoname, pideme perdon,
tomemonos de la mano y
soltemonos, aliviemonos.
Perdoname, pideme perdon,
tomemonos de la mano y
soltemonos, aliviemonos.
Hola, Adios
Hola, Adios
Hola, Adios
Hola, Adios
Hola, Adios
Hola, Adios
The lyrics of Café Tacvba's song "Hola Adiós" convey the idea of intimacy and interconnectedness between two people, who temporarily act as if they were each other's family members, friends, and even lovers. The singer assumes different roles, pretending to be a father, brother, grandfather, lover, or even a child, depending on how they see their partner. Similarly, their partner becomes their spouse, sister, mother, or even a neighbor of their soul. In this moment when they feel like they're running out of ground, the singer asks for forgiveness and invites their partner to hold their hand and let go of everything, to release the tension and find relief in each other's company. The repeated phrase "Hola, Adiós" can be interpreted as both an invitation and a farewell, emphasizing the transience and ambiguity of human relationships.
The song's lyrics are full of metaphors and paradoxes that reflect the complexity of human emotions and relationships. The idea of pretending to be someone else reflects the desire to escape the routine and the expectations of social roles, to explore other aspects of one's identity and connect with someone in a deeper and more spontaneous way. The reference to the neighbor of one's soul suggests a closeness that transcends physical proximity, an emotional bond that can be both comforting and challenging. The use of the imperative "perdoname, pideme perdon" (forgive me, ask me for forgiveness) implies a mutual recognition of mistakes and misunderstandings, a willingness to accept and confront flaws and conflicts. The repetition of "Hola, Adiós" creates a sense of ambiguity, leaving open the possibility of multiple meanings and interpretations.
Line by Line Meaning
Pretende que soy tu padre,
Imagine that I am your father,
tu hermano, tu abuelo,
your brother, your grandfather,
los modos de tu amante,
the ways of your lover,
los ojos de tu hijo.
the eyes of your child.
Tu seras mi esposa,
You will be my wife,
mi hermana, mi madre.
my sister, my mother.
Te veo como vecina,
I see you as a neighbor,
vecina del alma mia,
neighbor of my soul,
Y en este preciso instante que
And in this precise moment when
el piso se nos termina,
the ground is running out beneath us,
perdoname, pideme perdon,
forgive me, ask for forgiveness,
tomemonos de la mano y
let's hold hands and
soltemonos, aliviemonos.
let go, relieve ourselves.
Perdoname, pideme perdon,
Forgive me, ask for forgiveness,
tomemonos de la mano y
let's hold hands and
soltemonos, aliviemonos.
let go, relieve ourselves.
Hola, Adios
Hello, goodbye,
Hola, Adios
Hello, goodbye,
Hola, Adios
Hello, goodbye,
Hola, Adios
Hello, goodbye,
Hola, Adios
Hello, goodbye,
Hola, Adios
Hello, goodbye
Contributed by Julian J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Matilda
on Desperte
What does it mean is he a recovering alcoholic? I want to know